The present invention relates to a vehicle wheel and pneumatic tire assembly having a counter-weight. The assembly includes a rigid rim having essentially radially inwardly extending rim flanges, a pneumatic vehicle tire, the bead regions of which are mounted on the radially inner side of the rim next to the rim flanges, and respective cover rings that occupy any space disposed axially inwardly of each bead.
A wheel and tire assembly of this general type is described, for example, in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 33 12 482. With this heretofore known wheel and tire assembly, a counter-weight is attached in such a way that its anchoring element is forced into the slot between the tire bead and the cover ring. However, this can lead to such great deformation of the cover ring, or of the rubber of the tire bead, in the vicinity of the anchoring element, that water and/or dirt can penetrate the slot and can, under certain conditions, penetrate all the way to the rim ring.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wheel and tire assembly of the aforementioned general type with a counter-weight where the sealing function of the cover ring is retained in its entirety.